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Designing For Daylight

Designing For Daylight

Maximise the use of available daylight by orientating a building within 300 of South. Wherever possible, all rooms should have daylight.

Raise window heights to increase the depth to which daylight can penetrate. An obstructed window will generally allow daylight to penetrate twice the height of the window head from the floor. Bringing daylight in at a high level reduces brightness levels and glare on workspaces.

Reduce the size of windows on northerly aspects to reduce heat loss

Install windows with the lowest thermal losses you can afford. New coatings for glazing can block the infra-red elements of sunlight responsible for heat gains while still allowing daylight into a space.

Fit external light shelves or stagger a building so that upper floors overhang lower ones to provide shade from direct summer sun. This also allows sunlight to enter the space in colder months when solar gains may be more welcome.